Pyongyang, June 19 (KCNA) -- Bashar Al-Assad, president of the Syrian Arab Republic, on Wednesday met with the DPRK government delegation led by Ri Su Yong, minister of Foreign Affairs, on a visit to Syria.

The president said that the friendly relations between the two countries provided by President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il together with President Hafez Al-Assad are the comradely relations with a long history and tradition.

He went on:

HE Marshal Kim Jong Un sent high-level delegations one after another before and after the presidential election in Syria. This greatly supported and encouraged the just cause of the Syrian people.

The Syrian government and people will as ever extend firm support and solidarity to the government and people of the DPRK in their struggle to defend the sovereignty of the country, reunify the country and build a thriving nation.

Syria is greatly encouraged by the Korean people struggling, rallied close around the leader, the president said, expressing belief that Korea will be reunified in the near future under the leadership of Kim Jong Un.

Present there were the Syrian deputy prime minister and minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates and other officials concerned and the DPRK ambassador to Syria.